Kankapot Creek, Plum and Kankapot Creeks Watershed (LF03)
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Kankapot Creek, Plum and Kankapot Creeks Watershed (LF03)
Kankapot Creek (126800)
6.91 Miles
2.66 - 9.57
Natural Community
Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater
Year Last Monitored
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
2015
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Degraded Habitat
Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids
 
Calumet, Outagamie
Trout Water 
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
No
Impaired Water 
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
Yes

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
Attainable Use
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.
Designated Use
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
LFF
Streams capable of supporting small populations of forage fish or tolerant macro-invertebrates that are tolerant of organic pollution. Typically limited due to naturally poor water quality or habitat deficiencies. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 3 mg/L.

Overview

Kankapot Creek, is a 9-mile stream with poor water quality. Stream habitat was rated poor to fair. The heavy clay soils that cover the stream bottom provide very little habitat for fish and other aquatic life. Pools are generally filled in and riffles are uncommon. The streambanks are eroded and slumping in many places, due to flooding. Gully erosion is common from roadway drainages. Macroinvertebrate samples indicate poor to fair water quality, very significant to significant organic pollution. Lack of suitable habitat is the most significant limiting factor for abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates in this stream. Kankapot Creek receives a considerable amount of nutrients, suspended solids and bacteria as indicated by the high concentrations during runoff sampling periods (Gansberg 1995).

Bougie, Cheryl A. 1999. Lower Fox River Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Public Review Draft. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1999

Author  Cheryl Bougie

Historical Description

Kaukapot Creek, T21N, R18E, Sec. 24(6), Area = 0.5 acres, Length = 3.9 miles, M.P.A. = 116 ppm,
Gradient = 12.8 feet/mile.
Only a small trickle of water was present in this stream on the day of investigation. The water is
clear and hard; however, the specific conductance is excessive, indicating the presence of contaminants.
Bedrock is the bottom material of this stream throughout much of Outagamie County. The banks consist of
walls built from bedrock slabs. There is no cover, aquatic invertebrates, or fishery. Access is limited
to one town road, and street crossings.

From: Nelson, Linden M. and Ronald L. Fassbender. Surface Water Resources of Outagamie County:
Lake and Stream Classification Project. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1972

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Kankapot Creek, Plum and Kankapot Creeks Watershed (LF03) Fish and Aquatic LifeKankapot Creek, Plum and Kankapot Creeks Watershed (LF03) RecreationKankapot Creek, Plum and Kankapot Creeks Watershed (LF03) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Kankapot Creek was put on the Impaired Waters Lists in the 1998 cycle for sediment and degraded habitat. Phosphorus and degraded biology were added during the 2008 cycle. This water is part of the Lower Fox River TP & TSS TMDL that was approved by the EPA in 2012. Evaluations every two-year cycle from 2014 to 2022 confirmed the phosphorus impairment.

Date  2022

Author  Ashley Beranek

Condition

Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.

Reports

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
Lower Kankapot Creek Watershed: Water Quality Awareness Flyer
Upper Kankapot Creek Watershed: Water Quality Awareness Flyer
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
USEPA Decision Document for the Approval of the Lower Fox River Basin TP and TSS TMDLs
Lower Fox River Basin TP TSS TMDL 2012
Kankapot Creek 126800 Impaired Waters Listing Documentation 2008 Seg2
Kankapot Creek 126800 Impaired Waters Listing Documentation 2008 Seg1
KANKAPOT CREEK, CALUMET COUNTY, AMPI SHERWOOD WWTP USE DESIGNATION

Management Goals

Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable

Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.

Monitoring

Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.

Grants and Management Projects

Project Name (Click for Details)Year Started
Lower Fox River TMDL2007
TOWN OF HARRISON: Storm Water Planning2005

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
126800Kankapot Creek10016668Kankapot Creek - Upstream Of Cth Kk Bridge4/7/19929/28/2015MapData
126800Kankapot Creek10015578Kankapot Creek - Upstream Of KkMapData
126800Kankapot Creek453276Kankapot Creek - Near Kaukauna WI6/19/200110/16/2001MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Kankapot Creek is located in the Plum and Kankapot Creeks watershed which is 84.04 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (52.70%), suburban (16.90%) and a mix of grassland (12.20%) and other uses (18.30%). This watershed has 193.77 stream miles, 39.36 lake acres and 1,129.50 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.

Natural Community

Kankapot Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater under the state's Natural Community Determinations.

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.

Cool (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

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